1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to beltings and more particularly to a modular conveyor belting comprising interconnected modules of a similar integral construction. The modules comprising the conveyor belting preferably include a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent associated therewith to inhibit bacterial growth and promote asepsis on the belting.
2. Prior Art
Modular conveyor belting is well known. For quality control purposes in the food industry it is desirable that the conveyor be readily inspected to assure cleanliness. Government and industry regulations also specify standards of inspection and cleanliness for equipment used in processing products for human consumption. There is, therefore, a need for a belting have associated therewith an antimicrobial agent that inhibits bacterial growth and promotes asepsis on the belting through extended wear, and that is safe for human contact. The antimicrobial agent needs to be free of heavy metals, carcinogenic substances and any agents that are both harmful to the environment and are not suitable for human ingestion. As will be explained in detail presently, the conveyor belting of the present invention having the antimicrobial agent associated therewith meets these criteria.
The antimicrobial agent of the present invention has previously been provided as an additive incorporated into the elastomeric material in a pierced earring stand to disinfect the earring wires during storage (U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,516 to Morrison); as a coating for metallic and non-metallic solid substrates (U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,749 to Cueman et al.); and as a material incorporated into a surgical drape (U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,907 to Mixon et al.). The disclosure of these patents are incorporated herein by reference. However, none of these prior art patents discloses the use of the present antimicrobial agent associated with a conveyor belting, and in particular with a modular conveyor belting.